Alpha Tau Omega – Gamma Zeta Classes of ’67, ’68, ’69 Unlike many fraternities that boast of being the “best,” Alpha Tau Omega relies solely on its record. In an article printed by the school newspaper, The Daily Illini, sports writer Chip Cirillo (not an ATO) analyzes ATO and crushes the myths surrounding our house. The following is an excerpt from the original article titled “The Team Fans Love to Hate Just Rolls On.” “Mike Royko, the Chicago Sun-Times columnist, recently wrote a column concerning one of the oldest traditions in baseball – hating the New York Yankees. This state of mind arises from jealousy of the Yankees’ winning ways. At Illinois, there is a similar tradition in intramural circles: Hating Alpha Tau Omega. Most people that hate Taus do so because they too have winning teams. Recently Taus were champions in Fraternity Blue football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, track, water polo and racquetball. In the All-University League, they were champions in football and B-League basketball. They even had champions in co-rec sports which found them No. 1 in basketball and water basketball. Year after year, Taus chalk up championship after championship while hundreds of other teams watch trophies being carried to 1101 W. Pennsylvania Ave… …There is usually a large throng of female followers at most of their important games, many of whom have the ATO letters sewn on the seat of their pants. The appearance of these girls gives rival teams another reason to despise the men in gold and blue… Jealousy has inspired many fantastic rumors about life at Alpha Tau Omega. Among the wildest fallacies are that football players get fined if they miss a practice, a rushee can only pledge if he has been an all-conference athlete in high school, and Taus would rather watch Monday Night Football than socialize at an exchange. The only thing that could save its “popularity” would be a decade of losing teams and that possibility is very remote.” Although we take extreme pride in our athletic accomplishments, they comprise only a small percentage of ATO in total. 1 CLASSES OF 1967-70 Thelma Lane Andrews Otis “Odie” Wilson Oakwood, Ill – Thelma Lane Andrews, 82, of Arlington, Texas, formerly of Oakwood, passed away at 11:30 a.m. Saturday (May 20, 1989) at Four Season nursing home in Fort Worth, Texas. Born Sept. 24, 1906, in Danville, daughter of James E. and Louisa Moultre Lane. She married Elwin Andrews. He died in 1960. She is survived by: a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Marilyn Ray of Arlington, Texas; three grandchil- dren, Michael Andrews of McLean, VA., Nancy An- drews of Arlington, Texas, and Jeffry Andrews of Carrolltown, Texas; three great-grandchildren. She also was preceded in death by a son, Gerald Andrews. 2 CLASS OF 1967 Robert Bachman I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1967 with a degree in Accountancy (with Honors) from the College of Business. I passed the CPA exam and was licensed in Illinois, although I never worked as an accountant. While at Illinois, much of my time was taken up by my involve- ment with the varsity swimming team, which meant I missed many of the ATO functions. I was fortunate to have a good swimming career (All-American in 1965 and 1967; three times Most Valuable Swimmer and team captain for two years). In the spring of 1967, I was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor (awarded each year to one senior at each Big Ten School based 50%on academic achievement and 50% on athletic achievement). In the fall of 1967, I enrolled in Harvard Law School, grad- uating with a Juris Doctorate in 1970. Sue Finlay, a Pi Phi at Illinois, and I were married in July of 1970 and moved to Houston, where I started my legal career with Vinson & Elkins. Sue and I divorced in 1975 but have remained friends ever since. I practiced corporate finance and securities law (including many merger and acquisitions transactions). I spent my entire legal career with Vinson & Elkins. My main avocation during the first 15 years in Houston was running, competing in many 5K, 10 K and 10 mile races. I also ran six marathons, including Boston and Honolulu. My best marathon time was 2 hours and 49 minutes. In my early forties, I became interested in golf. My lowest handicap was a 7, mainly because my short game was fairly good. A group of us (19 individuals) built a 27-hole daily fee golf course, catering to large corporate and charity events. The planning, building and then operating the golf course was educa- tional and great fun. The course opened in 1990. We sold the course in 2005 when the land had appreciated in value, and we received an offer we could not refuse. Total knee replacement surgery in 2013 has curtailed my activities (no more running, for example). Balance issues have kept me away from the golf course, although physical therapy has helped quite a lot, and I may soon find my way back to the course. I moved from Houston to Austin, Texas, in 2008. Bo Batchelder 5210 Landguard Drive, Raleigh, NC 27613 Cell: 919.414.6033 | [email protected] I have enjoyed all seasons of life - even with their challenges and trials...starting in home- town Peoria as a young boy near Bradley University, moving to a new high school where I met, and eventually married, Judy, off to the University of Illinois and ATO for four great years, then into the business world—a 45-year career as a franchise owner of Hardee’s and Taco Bell restaurants, and now semi-retired (entrepreneurs don’t retire)...blessed and thankful. Sports are my hobby: past - football, basketball, track-discuss, racquetball, tennis; and current - biking swimming, golf. I’ll be golfing with Mort and friends at the reunion. Judy and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary a couple of weeks after the ATO Reunion—destination to be de- termined. We have three married children and seven grandchildren. Here’s a Ripley’s...for the last four years we have been enjoying multigenerational-communal living: 2-grandparents, 2-parents, 2-teenage boys and 2-middle-school girls...all under 1-roof. It’s grandparents’ day every day! And, our other three grandchildren are only 15 minutes away. The most significant event of my life happened in 1987. As I was seeking greater purpose and meaning in my life, friends introduced me to Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord. My new life is complete with purpose and joy, now that I have a personal relationship with Jesus. Let me know if you’d like to hear the rest of the story. We are active in our church, and I lead a non-denominational weekly Friday morning Bible study & fellowship hour for 75-100 men. I serve on the boards of Mission Increase Foundation, Jobs for Life and Finding Purpose. Regarding highlights: One ATO highlight, when I was Pledge Chairman, was the Pledge Class of ‘68 Walkout to Peoria…remember? Another was serving as ATO Worthy Master. Being elected Co-captain of the 1966 Fighting Illini football team is my most treasured sports highlight, while my ”dream game” was October 26, 1965 against Griese and Purdue. ATΩ Reunion 2018 will undoubtedly be another highlight! 3 Peter Bates Deceased. No additional information available. Artie Becker First of all, many thanks to the organizers—Dr. Frakes, Bo, and the others. Great idea, great job. Unfortunately, will not be able to attend, but my good wishes go to all the broth- ers. Fond memories. Married to Nancy (Northwestern girl; same high school, Chicago St. Gregory) for 48 hap- py years. (At the time of the reunion, we’ll be a few months short of the Big 50.) Three kids; one son a corporate attorney in Silicon Valley (alum Notre Dame); another son a chemistry instructor at Nobles-Grenough in Boston (Duke); and the third (daughter) a linguistics prof at Reed College in Portland, OR (Stanford). (Sorry, we didn’t deliver any Big Ten schools for the offspring.) Five delightful grandkids; ages 8 years to 8 months; four boys, one girl. We are confirmed snowbirds. Summers in New Jersey, winters in Florida. We’ve been blessed with visits from Redball and Ann, PK and Diane, Keyes and Marianne, Bates and Fleury. We have also thoroughly enjoyed the mini-reunions hosted by the Johnsons at their Fern Glen retreat over the years. Retired Senior VP from Lehman Bros. in NYC (yes, that Lehman!); headed Becker Consulting for some years there- after (international work; racked up a million flown miles each on two separate airlines); fully retired now. Keyes and I have commiserated at Fern Glen over the exquisite joy of the hits to company stock positions and pensions that flow from our respective bankrupt employers. Lieutenant, U.S. Navy Intelligence; staff of C-in-C Pacific Fleet as cryptographic comms officer, Pearl Harbor. Cancer survivor now for seven years (ocular melanoma); Nancy suffers from a number of health issues, prominent among them congestive heart disease. Ah, the rewards of growing old. But we maintain. Chief hobby is writing books that nobody reads; four novels so far, another in the oven. Terry Cole My favorite memories from the ATO years are of late nights at PoBoys and the Outhouse Scramble, along with getting to live with a really good group of guys (and a few real characters). After graduating from the U of I, I went to Michigan State to attend graduate school and get my MBA.